When Angels Fall From Grace
by Nil1875
Summary: Yuffie is the Princess of Hollow Bastion. But is there something more to her than being a Princess? Could she be something else? And what will happen when she finds her long lost love? Squffie AU ...T
1. Prolog: The Council

**When Angel's Fall From Grace**

"_In the first days of this earth the Council of Angels were appointed to tasks. Out of these Angels six were deemed higher than the rest. The Council of the Arch Angels. Three male, three female, the Arch Angels were charged with the task of sending spirits to their next life. The other Angels were charged with guiding the spirits through their mortal lives._

_However, once humans themselves, the true nature of the Angels emerged and a great war waged. The Angels were jealous of the greater power possessed by the Arch Angels and sought to overthrow them._

_During this great war one Arch Angel was banished, for loving a human. She was thrown out of the Council and so, she Fell From Grace."_


	2. Chapter 1: Princess

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed the prolog. And HEY GUYS! IT"S A PROLOG! There will be much much more to come. Don't worry this has no plans of being a short story.

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Yuffie opened her eyes and saw butterflies on the canopy over her bed. She smiled and pushed back her covers, wincing slightly when her feet hit the cold tile. She padded over to the window and pushed it open, looking out over the gardens of Hollow Bastion. She saw her mother tending to the roses, something she would let no other person do.

"Mother!" called Yuffie as she waved her arm out the window.

Her mother looked up and smiled at her six year old daughter. Raising a gloved hand she waved. Laughing Yuffie ran out of her bedroom and down the hall, past the maids and foot men. She ran down the grand staircase and hugged her father around the waist. He was standing at the bottom of the stairs talking to the king of the next Kingdom over. King Mark. Beside King Mark stood his fifteen year old son.

"Hi, Squall," said Yuffie happily as she let go of her father, not the least bit ashamed that she was in her nightgown. Still grinning she ran out the still ajar front doors and around the castle to the gardens. She ran to her mother and hugged her before sitting down beside her and smelling the roses.

Her mother smiled and shook her head. "Yuffie, how many times must I tell you not to come out in your nightgown? It's not proper."

Yuffie pouted. "I'm only six mother."

"Yes my child, but you already have the wisdom of one that, three times your age, may never poses."

"And I wanted to see you."

Her mother smiled and returned to pruning her roses. After a few minutes of silence Yuffie spoke again.

"Mother? I had another dream. About the Angel. She...she was falling. And her wings were burning. She was in so much pain. I could almost feel it."

Concerned her mother turned to her. "Yuffie why didn't you come to me when it happened?"

"I only just remembered. Mother I'm scared."

"Oh Yuffie, Don't be. You're fine," whispered her mother as she pulled her into a hug.

- - - -

_When Yuffie was born, her mother, Queen Lynn, had a vision. The Queen took her daughter to a Seer and told her about the vision. She had seen an Angel, with black wings, falling towards the earth. Her wings were alight and she was screaming._

_The Seer told the Queen that her daughter's spirit was the fallen Arch Angel Yuffie, and that the time had come to break the curse which had been set upon her at the beginning of time. The curse would be broken when her human form once more received her true name and was once again reunited with her also cursed love._

_The Queen submitted to the terms and named her daughter Yuffie, but she was unable to let go of the first name she chouse._

_On her first birthday, Yuffie Maria Kisaragi was crowned hair to the thrown of Hollow Bastion. _

_On her fourth, the dreams began._

_On her seventh her world was destroyed._

- - - -

Yuffie threw open her windows at the sound of shouting in the gardens. She saw her father and the castle guards, swords drawn, surrounded by shadows. Shadows with gleaming yellow eyes. As she watched they closed in on them and cut them down one by one. She screamed as her father fell. She shouted over and over but he didn't get up.

Queen Lynn ran to her daughter's room when she heard the screams. She pushed open the door and ran to Yuffie's side. Seeing her husband lying dead in the garden surrounded by the bodies of the guards, she gasped and pulled the window shut. Running to the door she saw the shadows. They crawled across the floor toward Yuffie's room.

Quickly she slammed the door and pushed Yuffie under the bed.

"Don't come out until it's over! Understand?"

Yuffie nodded shakily, tears pouring silently down her cheeks. The pounding on the door began.

"I love you," whispered her mother.

The Queen straitened up as the door splintered into a million pieces. Yuffie watched as the shadows filled the room. She clasped her hands over her mouth as her mother screamed and fell to the floor. Just like her father, she didn't get up again.

Yuffie tried with all her might to stifle her sobs but one of the shadows heard her. It turned it's gleaming yellow eyes in her and advanced, reaching out it's claws. Heavy foot steps crossed the room and a silver blade sliced through the shadows. Yuffie shrank further under the bed, hugging her knees to her chest.

The owner of the boots knelt down and looked under the bed. His face was hidden by the shadows, but Yuffie soon saw the scar across his face.

"Squall," she whimpered as she crawled out from under the bed and locked her arms around his neck as if, he to, might be taken away from her.

"Shhh, Yuffie, It's okay. You're safe," he whispered as he held he to his chest. "Let's get you out of here."

She nodded and he carried her out of the ruined castle to his ship. His sister Aerith was waiting for them with what looked like a handful of survivors.

"The King and Queen?" Aerith asked gently.

Yuffie sniffed and raised her head. "They're gone. They're gone."

Squall kissed her hair and carried her onto the ship. "They're not gone forever Yuf, they're still with you, in your heart."

"Really," she asked.

"Sure," he said as he entered the bedroom and set her down. She wouldn't let go of his hand so he sat with her.

"Squall?" she asked sleepily.

"Yes Princess?"

"Squall, I'm not a princess anymore," she said, her voice growing quieter.

"You are to me," he said as he kissed her forehead. He pulled the covers over her and left.

Once again Yuffie dreamed of the Angel, but this time, she saw the man.


	3. Chapter 2: Escape

I am so so so so so so soooooooo SORRY that I haven't updated. My life has been hell since school started again. It's been so crazy.

Anyway here is the newest chapter. I'm really sorry that it's so short. Only two typed pages. But Happy Thanksgiving anyway!

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"Good morning Yuffie. How are you feeling?"

Yuffie raised her head from the table and looked at the girl who over the last month had become like a big sister to her.

"I'm fine Aerith, just a little sleepy still."

Aerith smiled. "I'm sure you are. You were having bad dreams again. Squall woke up in the middle of the night and found you crying. You fell asleep in my lap again."

"Really? I wish I could remember what the dreams were about. I feel like I need to know. Like it's really important."

"If it's that important then you'll remember one day."

Yuffie sighed slightly and lay her head back on her arms.

"Well don't you look cheery this morning?" said a voice out of nowhere as a hand ruffled her hair.

"Ah! Knock it off Squall!" protested Yuffie as she batted at said persons hand.

"Never!" he responded in an aloft voice and laughed as he dodged her feeble attempt at punching him.

He moved quickly, scooping her up from behind and relentlessly tickling her sides.

"Ah! AH! SQUALL STOP!!!!" Yuffie laughed as he swung her around the kitchen, still tickling her.

"Will you two stop before you break something?" Aerith laughed as she set pancakes on the table.

The offenders quickly sat at their places at the table. "Yes madam!" they chorused. As soon as Aerith turned her back they broke into silent giggles and ate their breakfast.

- - - - -

"Squall! We have to go! Now!" Aerith yelled.

Squall ran to the top of the stairs. Aerith looked up at him as she shoved things into a sack. "They're here."

He nodded and ran down the hall. Yuffie's door was locked. Taking a step back he kicked it down.

- - - - -

After breakfast Yuffie went upstairs to her room and got dressed. She sat on her bed and held her new stuffed bear. Squall had come back form a patrol one day with a fuzzy brown bear named Custer, just for Yuffie.

Now the little girl sat deep in thought. Every night she had the dreams and they left her exhausted. Not to mention the fact that since she couldn't remember she spent hours tiring herself out trying to recall something.

Yuffie sighed and flopped back on her bed. She had hardly closed her eyes when she heard a scream. She sat up in a flash and rushed to the window. The shadows were in the town below, attacking everything in their path.

Yuffie panicked and looked around for a place to hide. She saw a place under the window that was hidden. She locked her door then tucked herself into it and waited. She looked up as she heard the door handle rattle. She stayed put in her hiding place, hoping the door would hold against the shadows.

Suddenly the door was kicked down. Yuffie shrunk back. In the door stood the man from her dreams. He was barley a silhouette, shrouded in shadows. In his right hand he carried a sword, and in his left a gun of some kind. From his back flowed giant black wings. His hair flowed past his shoulders and a scar burned against the shadows on his face.

Yuffie screamed and the vision faded. When she opened her eyes again she was in Squall's arms and he was running away from the house to the Gummi ship, slashing at the shadows with his blade.

She clutched his neck and closed her eyes.

- - - - - - -  
_  
"Yuffie!" The man reached out his hand across the darkness that was enveloping the both him and the girl beside him. She reached for his hand but couldn't reach._

"No," she sniffed. "I love you!"

"YUFFIE!!!!"  
  
- - - - - - -

Yuffie sat up on her bed. It had been four years since the attacks started. She was now eleven and her dreams were finally becoming clearer. 


	4. Chapter 3: Destruction

**_Ok first off, please don't kill me. I just finally got my computer to upload my documents so I can update. Second, once the summer gets here I will have time to finish all my stories. I hope everyone is enjoying this and my others. Please Review and let me know what you think. _**

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Yufie sat up in bed, small beads of sweat running down her face and neck. She had had another of her dreams and it was quickly fading into all the others.

The angel she always saw was running. Running away from something, or towards something. Yuffie couldn't be sure. Shivering she hugged her knees and thought again. Thought about her past and all the dreams had told her.

She had always know that this girl was an angel. Her face glowed softly, and her shoulder length black hair seemed to shimmer with a light that wasn't quit human. In half the dreams the girl sported black feathery wings. As far as Yuffie had put together, this girl, this angel, had done something to anger the council.

The story of the council, Yuffie had heard from her mother. She had been six when she asked. Her mother told her the tale, and how an angel would fall from grace if they angered the council.

The night before the heartless struck Hollow Bastion, Yuffie saw the girl, falling. Her wings were on fire. She was screaming in pain, and just before Yuffie woke up, she heard a name. She still couldn't remember what that name was, but she knew she had heard it.

Yuffie figured that this was when the angel fell from grace. When she saw her later, she was just a girl. She was living as a human, and usually covered in filth and crying for her lost love.

Yuffie had only seen the man twice. The first time he was no more than a shadow, a mere silhouette, of his real form. The second time, she had been hiding under her window, hiding from the heartless. Her door had been broken down and she had seen the man. Long hair flowed past his shoulders and a scar ran across his face. She had screamed and closed her eyes. When she opened them again Squall was carrying her away from the wreckage of the town.

Yuffie sighed. She was only eleven, but she already had the maturity of an adult. She supposed it came from everything she had been through over the years.

Shaking her head, Yuffie got up and pulled off her night gown, reaching for a large shirt and a pair of jeans. She pulled on the jeans first, but when she went to pull on her shirt the frowned at her mirror. Rolling onto the balls of her feet and back a few times she saw her chest move.

"Great," she muttered as she pulled on her shirt. "Another thing to deal with."

With one last sigh, Yuffie put on her façade face and ran downstairs.

"Well good morning sleepy," said Aerith as Yuffie bounced cheerily into the kitchen and sat at the table. "Waffles?"

"Yes please!" nodded Yuffie.

The room was empty except for the two of them. Yuffie could tell Aerith easily enough.

"Hey Aerith?"

"What is it Yuffie?" asked Aerith as she set a plate of waffles in front of the young girl.

Yuffie grimaced and pointed at the front of her shirt. "They grew," she pouted, then began to eat her waffles.

Aerith suppressed a giggle. "Well then, I guess we'll have to take you shopping later then, won't we?"

"I guess," said Yuffie.

"You're handling all of this awfully well. Another new place and your body changing? I don't know if I could handle all that."

"I suppose," said Yuffie, already lost in thought.

This was the fourth place they had been to already this year. And it was only March. The longest they had ever stayed in one place was three months. Right now they were staying in Squall and Aerith's house with their parents. It was the last world that they knew of that the creatures hadn't found. The town was fairly small and there were only a few stores but Aerith would know where to go to get Yuffie what she needed.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Havoc struck right as Aerith was paying for their perches'. Shouting rang from outside the store and screams erupted.

Yuffie closed her eyes tightly. _Not again. _She pleaded whatever forces might hear. _Please, not here. Not now. _Aerith pulled her out of the store and back towards the house.

When they reached it, there were flames licking the roof from the destroyed windows. Yuffie say Squall approaching from the other direction. He carried his gunblade, and a look of rage and fear on his face.

The house shook and began to collapse. Aerith leaned close to Yuffie and whispered in her ear.

"Run Yuffie. Run as fast as you can. Don't stop until you reach the ship. Lock the doors and wait. You'll be safe. Take this with you." Aerith placed the bag in Yuffie's hand, along with a pouch of throwing stars.

"But Aerith," protested Yuffie. "I can't use these."

"You can if you want. Now run."

Yuffie nodded and ran. At the end of the street she turned and saw Squall and Aerith trying to fight their way into the burning building. Tears running down her eyes she turned away from the siblings that she had come to know as her only family and ran for the ship.

She rounded the corner to the hanger and saw a shadow in front of the ships door. Recalling Aerith's words Yuffie grabbed one of the stars and threw it.

It flew straight and true, hitting the shadow in the head. It fell to the ground and vanished. Yuffie picked up the star and opened the door. Jumping into the ship she turned to close the door and saw Aerith, her dress filthy, her face tear stained, and her arms burned, half carrying and half dragging Squall, whose condition was, if anything, worse than hers.

As soon as they were on the ship Yuffie closed and locked the door.

"Yuffie, you're going to have to drive the ship," coughed Aerith.

Yuffie nodded and ran to the cockpit. She had seen both of them do it often enough, and Squall had even let her steer a few times. She had taken off once before. With some small difficulty she piloted the ship off the ground and set it on auto pilot, with no destination in mind, to simply fly in a large circle.

With that done she went back to Squall's room. Aerith was with him. He was unconscious on his bed and his face was ashen.

"Squall? Squall please wake up?" said Aerith.

A small muttering came from the bed. Yuffie ran over to him, climbing on the bed, and grabbed his hand.

"What?" asked Aerith softly, as she put her ear to his mouth. "What is it Squall?"

"Don't call me that, never again. Not ever." These were the only words Yuffie heard before he passed out completely.


	5. Chapter 4: Wounds

I apologize ahead of time for the shortness of the chapter. This is the last bridge chapter before the story really gets going. I know what you must be thinking, 'What does she mean before the story gets started' Well it's a long story. I am really hoping all my faithful reviewers will stick by me and give me the support I need. I have more free time now, as I am no longer in High School, so I do have time to write. And Actually amaznigly after I finished my Rikora story, I was somehow bitten by the Squffie bug again, so I plan to finish this and write the sequel to 'Forever in your Arms,' and finish 'Black Dress, Blue Dress'

So please don't kill me for the shortness and long wait. I love you all and I Promise!!! I will update more often!!!!

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Yuffie sobbed as she wrung out the cloth she was holding and began to wipe the dirt and blood off of Squall's face. 

Aerith, in a state of shock, had left Yuffie to tend to the injured man, and went to clean herself of the filth and dirt.

Yuffie sniffed as she wiped the side of Squall's face, removing most of the dirt and blood. She had seen too much already in her life. She had seen her father killed, then her mother, then another world destroyed, and another, and another. She was sick of it. Was there no way to stop the horrid creatures that plagued the worlds?

And now this, Aerith's home, Squall's home. Everything they had, their parents, their world, destroyed. Aerith had found an old report, written by an alchemist that had once lived in Hollow Bastion. He called the creatures 'Heartless'. It seemed a fitting term to Yuffie. They did nothing but kill and destroy, with no regard for anything.

Yuffie rinsed her cloth and wiped her eyes before carefully running the cloth down Squall's nose and mouth and his right cheek and forehead. As the filth transferred onto the cloth, the source of the blood was revealed.

Yuffie gasped and jumped off the bed, scuttling as far away from the man in front of her as she could. She backed into a corner and hugged her knees, the cloth forgotten on the floor.

Across Squall's once perfect face, was a cut. From right above his left eyebrow, across his nose, to where it ended right under his other eye.

Yuffie shuddered as memories of her vision came back to her. The man in the doorway, a scar burning across his shadowed face. It was the same scar. It had to be. Yuffie shook as her puzzled mind put pieces together. Squall was, had to be, the man she had seen in her dream and her vision. He carried a gunblade. The figure had carried a sword and a gun. He had somehow fused the weapons.

But the wings she couldn't explain. She had seen the wings. They were the only thing missing.

Steeling herself she crawled back over to the bed, and finished cleaning his face. She bandaged his arm, then retreated to her corner again.

The door opened and Aerith came in, wearing a new dress, and a look of everlasting sadness on her face. She looked at Yuffie with small puzzlement.

"Yuffie?"

Yuffie was still shaking as she pointed. "Look at his face."  
"Oh my-oh Squall," gasped Aerith as she saw the wound across her brother's face. She knelt by the bed and let her tears flow.

"Squall," she sobbed.

"Aerith. Don't…call me….that," he said through labored breaths.

"Don't talk. You need to rest," she said, already alert, checking to see if her brother was wounded anywhere else.

"No Aerith," he grabbed her hand. "I lost my face, you know our laws. You lose your face you lose your name. You lose your past with it."

"But Squall, those laws don't apply to us anymore," she sobbed.

"Aerith, I don't want to remember that past. I want to, be free from it. I want to….." he trailed off as he passed out again, and Aerith continued to cry against his chest as she held his hand.

"Please don't do this brother," she begged. "Don't push what's left of all you've ever known away. Don't push me away. Don't please."

Bowing her head Aerith called on the magic powers, hidden deep inside her families blood and whispered "Heal" Light surrounded Squall, and centered on his face.

As the light retreated from the wound, all that was left was a faint, yet still prominent scar. The wound marked all that was left of Squall Leonhart's world and life.

Yuffie simply sat, watching this happen, waiting for the rest to happen. For life to move on. She was ready for when it did. For when Squall fully was well again. For when she slept and dreamt. She was ready to try and put the pieces of the never-ending puzzle together. She was ready to learn everything there was to know about the girl from her dreams.

From that moment on, Yuffie Maria Kisaragi, Princess of Hollow Bastion, was ready to face the world, and to face her past.

What a twelfth birthday this has turned out to be, she thought to herself as she watched her life unfold before her eyes.

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**_Press da button? _**


	6. Chapter 5: Oracle

Hello, Sorry for the long wait. One thing after another came up, and then there was no inspiration and then this and that...I hope the chapter length makes up for it. Will over 2,000 words. O.O Not my normal length...Realllly Long chapter!

Anyways, the story is starting to come together and start getting into the main plot. Yuffie is now a few months past 15 in this chapter, just in case anyone is confused by the small mention of passing time. Now the story will revolve more specifically around the next 4 years, with smaller time jumps and such.

Also, log this away for later in the chapter. Li Lee. Li is pronounced as you would pronounce Lee.

Alright then, Onto the story.

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"Wait! Come back! What do you mean?" Yuffie shouted as she chased after a small urchin girl. 

_Yuffie walked through the market, money in her pocket, looking for food. She stopped by a fruit stall and saw a small girl looking hungrily at a pile of apples. Feeling sorry for the girl, no older than nine or ten, Yuffie bought two apples and slowly walked over to the girl. Crouching down she smiled and held out one of the apples._

_"Here you go," she smiled sweetly._

_The girl looked up at her with fright and shuffled back against the wall, then slowly reached out and took the apple. When her hand touched Yuffie's, her eyes suddenly went pure white and she gasped. Her eyes cleared and the fear in them was evident._

_"The girl of the prophecy," she whispered before she jumped up and ran._

Yuffie dodged people, carts, and animals chasing the little girl. She had been searching the worlds for answers to the questions that her dreams were giving her for almost three years, since Squall and Aerith's world was destroyed by the Heartless. 

Words rang through Yuffie's head as she remembered a new dream, that had began less than two months ago.  
_  
A young Arch Angel stood before a council. She was in tears, and chains, and a man stood to the side, dirty, covered in blood, and chained. The master of the council spoke._

_"As punishment for your crimes, You will be sentenced to life as a human, until such time as you and this…man that you so claim to 'love' are once again deemed worthy or fit to be together. You must earn our forgiveness, pay your debt. Until such time as you have given back to the world, and proved your worth, forever will we intervene and tear you apart. No matter where you go, where you choose to incarnate, we will find you."_

_The Angel shook her head and screamed. No sound came from her mouth. The man struggled at his chains, but no sound came from him either._

_As they were both dragged away words echoed throughout the hall._

_"Days, years, century's will pass, And a time will come, when the world is cast into darkness. Only then, can the one save it. The one who was cast out. The one banished, will be the savior. The time will come when she will rise again, The Arch Angel -----"_

Yuffie always woke up right before she could hear the name of the Angel. All her life, she had been trying to find out the name, but no one knew.

Then this girl, she was some kind of oracle. She had seen something, and now she had an answer to one of Yuffie's questions. If only she could catch the little rat.

Finally the girl ducked into an ally and Yuffie turned just in time to see her drop into a box. Quietly Yuffie snuck up to the box. Her ninja training was beginning to pay off.

Once there she peered over the edge of the box to find the girl eating her apple.

"I want to know…what you saw," Yuffie said quietly.

The girl jumped and looked up.

"I promise I won't hurt you," said Yuffie. She slowly backed away from the box, and the girl stood up.

She cocked her head, then finishing the apple she threw it aside and jumped out of the box.

"If I tell you…I want something in return," she said softly.

Yuffie smiled. "Name it."

The girl shuffled her feet and muttered something Yuffie couldn't quite hear.

"What was that?" Yuffie asked smiling. "I didn't quite get that."

The girl blushed and said a little louder, just enough for Yuffie to catch, "I would like a hot bath and a good meal."

Yuffie laughed and held out her hand. "Come with me. I'm sure my friend would be happy to cook you a meal. As for a bath." Yuffie's eyes twinkled. "You are going to love the place where I'm staying. It has jets in the tub."

The girl smiled and took Yuffie's hand. She knew that she could trust this raven haired teenager. She knew exactly who she was. She had seen it all.

"What's your name by the way?" Yuffie asked as they left the ally.

The girl looked up in surprise. "Alice," she said. "Some people call me Li."

"Alright Li. Let's get you a hot bath."

-:-:-:-:-:-

"You cannot bring that filth into my Inn! I have valued costumers!"

Li shrunk back behind Yuffie, clutching her shorts for comfort. Yuffie put an arm around her shoulders and glowered at the innkeeper.

"She is my guest and I will take her where I want! And as for your customers," Yuffie paused and covered Li's ears. "They can do the same as you. Go suck eggs."

Yuffie turned and pulled Li away from the owner of the Inn and up the stairs to the top floor.

Li tugged on her hand, trying to turn around. "I'm not wanted here. I can't stay."

"Oh posh. I want you here. You deserved some care. Where are your parents?" Yuffie said as she opened the door to her room, though she already expected the answer.

Li looked at the ground. "They're dead."

"I'm sorry. So are mine. It's been so long, I hardly remember what it's like to have parents."

"I know. It's been a long time."

Yuffie quietly led Li into the bath room and ran the water, not too hot or cold, then plugged the drain. As she began to untie the knots that held a filthy shawl and an even worse torn, and dirty dress, to the little girl she thought of something else.

"How old are you?"

Li looked into the distance as she helped with the knot on her shawl. "I donno. Maybe nine, maybe ten. Ma said I was four, the year she died."

"Where did you learn to talk so properly?" Yuffie quarried as she pulled off the remaining cloth, and lifted the girl into the tub.

Li giggled. "It's so warm," she explained as Yuffie's raised eyebrow.

Yuffie smiled and began to wash what had to be years of filth from the little girl. Yuffie stomach turned. She could practically count the ribs on Li's small body. A nine year old shouldn't be this small. The cloths had made her look almost the right size for her age, but now Yuffie saw she was under nourished and it was a wonder she wasn't dead.

"I learned to talk from the rich folk in town."

"What?" Yuffie shook herself out of her thoughts as she poured shampoo onto her hand and started washing Li's hair.

"You asked where I learned to talk proper. I watch and listen to the rich folk. There's a wears cart by where I live that a lot of em' stop as and negotiate prices for stuff like jewels and magic. I spend a lot of time watching."

"Oh I see," said Yuffie. She smiled at the girls intelligence.

Yuffie rinsed out Li's hair, and combed it through with a special detangling conditioner until her hair hung straight to her small hips. Yuffie stood her up and drained the tub. Then taking the detachable shower head she rinsed the girl off, and the remaining soap and dirt ran down the drain. Lifting Li out she wrapped her in her favorite fuzzy white towel. Li giggled and nosed the soft cloth, then turned to the door and frowned.

"What is it?" asked Yuffie as she looked at the door. Just then someone knocked. Yuffie jumped a little and looked at Li, who didn't look surprised in the least. Instead she looked like she was thinking. Trying to remember something.

"Yuffie? Are you in there? Aerith says dinner's ready." It was Squall. "Yuffie?" The door handle started to turn. A thought struck Yuffie and she knew she had to keep Squall away from Li for now. Li might not react well, depending on what she knew about Yuffie's dreams.

"Squall you idiot don't come in here!" Yuffie bristled as she flipped the lock on the door.

"Why the hell not?! You weren't answering!"

Yuffie rolled her eyes. "Taking a bath," she lied.

"So?"

"Gah Squall. Naked! Duh! You, not, allowed!"

On the other side of the door Squall rolled his eyes. "For one, I told you not to call me that. My name is Leon. And for another I've know you since you were born why does this suddenly change?"

"It's called Puberty!" shouted Yuffie. "Now go away! I'll be down for dinner in a few minutes."

"Fine." Squall, Leon grunted and stormed off down the hall.

"Why did you do that? He sounded nice." Li muttered as she clung to Yuffie's hand.

"Well…Come on, let's get you some cloths. I'll explain." Li nodded.

-:-:-:-:-:-

"So why do you not like him now?" Li asked as Yuffie ran a brush through her half dry hair.

Yuffie sighed and reached for a red hair ribbon. she said finally as she fixed part of Li's hair with the ribbon.

Li turned around on the bed where they sat and regarded Yuffie for a moment. "You love him, don't you? And not like a bother."

Yuffie glanced at the girl, then out the window over the back garden. "Yes," she whispered.

Li made a small 'o' shape with her mouth and was about to speak, when they were interrupted.

"Yuffie, can I come in?"

Yuffie bounced off the bed and opened the door for Aerith. "We have a guest," she said.

Aerith looked past her and smiled. "Hello. Who are you?" she asked sweetly as she walked over to the bed.

Li looked at Yuffie who nodded, then she smiled hesitantly at Aerith. "I'm Alice, but most call me Li." With that she hopped off the bed and went to stand by Yuffie and hold her shorts, her favorite spot it seemed.

"Yuffie?" Aerith questioned with a raised eyebrow. She looked Li over, and smiled. She looked adorable. She wore Yuffie's old white dress and shoes, and her hair was developing waves as it dried.

"Yuffie, may I speak to you?"

Yuffie nodded and looked at Li. "Li could you go in the next room? There are some picture books on the table you might like."

Li looked apprehensive for a moment then slowly nodded. She walked through the door to Yuffie's study like room, and closed the door.

"Yuffie?"

"She's an oracle. She knows about the dreams. I think she may know everything."

"You found her on the street, didn't you?"

Yuffie nodded. "I gave her an apple, and she saw something, when she touched my wrist. She said something about the prophecy, then she ran."

"How did you get her to come here?"

"I asked her to tell me what she knew. After I caught her. She wanted a bath and food in exchange."

Aerith smiled. "Well we should get her some food."

Yuffie nodded and called for Li, and the three of them went down to the small kitchen they had rented with the room.

The owner was having an argument with Leon.

"Where is she?" he demanded.

"Where is who?" Leon asked, looking all too annoyed.

"The filth! That piece of dirt that your ward brought into my Inn! I will not tolerate it! If anyone sees her I'll be finished!"

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"Lire! Where is she?!"

"If you are talking about Li, she is right here, and I think you'll find she will be staying with me," Yuffie spoke as she walked into the room, with Li beside her, timidly looking out from behind her.

Leon and the Innkeeper just stared. After a moment the innkeeper growled and stormed out. Yuffie turned to Leon, and Li screamed and hid behind Yuffie, as soon as she turned her gaze on him.

Yuffie crouched and held the sobbing girl in her arms. "What's wrong Li? Can you tell me?"

Li sniffed and sobbed into Yuffie's shoulder. She slowly turned her head and pointed at Leon. Her eyes were a mixture of hate and fear. "It's him. He's the one. The one who caused all of this."

Yuffie looked up at Leon and saw he was a surprised as she was. "Li? Could you explain?" He asked softly as he crouched about a foot away from the two. Aerith stood by the door and watched in apprehension.

Li held onto Yuffie and stared at Leon. Slowly her eyes glazed slightly and she began to speak.

_"Days, years, century's will pass, And a time will come, when the world is cast into darkness. Only then, can the one save it. The one who was cast out. The one banished, will be the savior. The time will come when she will rise again, The Arch Angel…"_

"**Yuffie,**" two voices, child and man, finished together.


	7. Chapter 6: Legend

Alright I would like to point out a couple of my mistakes and correct them. In the first chapter I mentioned Leon's scar, where he doesn't have it until later. I didn't realize this when I typed it. I'm too used to him always having it. That is not supposed to be there. Also, in Chapter three, when Yuffie hears her name in the dream, she forgets. I think that's it...

Hope you enjoy the update. The year jumping is done. This is where the story really is, with the 19 year old. Li is now...13 or so. Leon is 27, almost 28.

* * *

The real Yuffie stood in shock, her arms around the small girl, her eyes now locked with Leon's.

_"Yuffie," _the name had echoed through the room. The name of the Arch Angel that Yuffie always had in her dreams. It was her. And he mother had know.

Long ago when Yuffie's mother, Queen Lynn, had told her the old legend about the Angel, she had never told her the name, but her eyes always held an aura of sadness about something when she said she didn't know the name.

Her mind darted back to a piece of conversation she had heard when she was four, between her parents.

"Lynn there is nothing we can do."

"She's been having dreams already, and I couldn't even name my child what **I** wished."

"Fate can be a cruel thing sometimes…Yuffie? Why are you hiding behind the door?"

Yuffie grimaced. Somehow she should have realized, she should have though, that they weren't dreams, they were memories.

Li spoke again. This time she spoke the words that the Seer had told Queen Lynn, though non knew it.

"A child is born, on the eve of destruction, the worst the world has seen. She is the Angel of legends. Yuffie, the Fallen One. The mother will be granted a gift, a vision, and will name her daughter Yuffie, for that is the spirit's true name. The mother will love her child, but will not live to see her reach adulthood. She will do her part, seven years, and the darkness will come, destroying everything in it's path. For love of the Angel, there will be a man. Close to her and unknown to all…they will bring an end to the darkness, together."

Li finished with a small sigh, and collapsed against Yuffie panting. She was worn out from the power she had just used.

"Squall?" questioned Yuffie. "How did you…"

"Know? I don't…..I don't know. It…just, came to me," he replied with a shake of his head.

Li tugged on Yuffie's collar.

"What is it Li?" she asked quickly.

"They're coming," she whispered, so quietly only Yuffie could hear. As soon as she did she fainted.

Yuffie looked up, tears of hatred in her eyes. "They're coming. This time I'm going to fight," she said, her teeth clenched, as she gently lay Li out down on the floor.

She stood, and made her way out of the room, up the stairs to her room, where she found her ninja weapons. Screams erupted outside as she came back downstairs.

While she was gone, Leon picked up Li, and took her to the Gummi port in the back. He put her in one of the rooms, and was leaving when she muttered something.

"What is it?" he asked as he came closer.

Li groaned and forced her eyes open. "Don't let her fight. Not yet. If she fights now, she will die."

Li's eyes closed again, and Leon rushed out of the room. Aerith ran past him onto the ship with her things.

"Stay here. Get the ship ready. I'll get Yuffie."

Aerith nodded. Leon went back into the inn, took his gunblade from against the kitchen wall, and heard the first screams. He caught Yuffie around the waist and lifted her up as she came down the stairs. He knew it was pointless to try and talk to her.

"Squall! What are you doing?!" she shouted as she pounded on his back.

He ignored her and boarded the ship.

"Squall!"

The door to her room slid open as they approached it. He silently dumped her on her bed, and held her arm as she got up and tried to get past him.

"LET ME GO!" she shouted and pounded her fists on his chest. He remained silent until she slowly ran out of energy and stood sobbing against his chest. He felt the ship lift off the ground, and wrapped his arms around her to keep her steady. It didn't do much good as they fell on the bed with a jolt of the ship.

Yuffie continued to cry in Leon's arms.

"Why?" she sniffed eventually.

"Now wasn't the time to fight Yuffie."

"Why?" she repeated as she fell asleep.

"Because it wasn't," Leon murmured as he tucked her under the covers and placed a small kiss on her forehead.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

3 Months Later - Twilight Town

"Hi there, who are you?" as small boy asked Li as she handed a gold coin to an ice cream vendor.

Li looked at the boy. He had brown hair, blue eyes and a quirky smile. He was flanked by a redheaded girl, with violet eyes, a taller boy, probably older, with platinum hair, and aqua eyes, and another boy, almost identical to himself, except his hair was blond and his eyes a shade lighter.

"I'm Li," she said slowly. She was still unaccustomed to people talking to her as an equal.

The boy smiled. "I'm Sora," he said. "This is Kairi, Riku, and Roxas," he pointed the to girl, the platinum haired boy, and the blond in turn. "We're eleven," he said as if it was the one thing in the world he was most proud of. "Well Riku's twelve already, but yeah…"

Li smiled and began to eat her ice cream. Sea salt. It was good.

"Li! Come on were leaving!" Yuffie shouted from across the plaza.

"Coming!" Li shouted back waving.

"Who's that?" Sora asked.

Riku elbowed him. "Don't be nosey Sora," he said quietly.

Li grinned proudly. "That's my mom," she said. "Well not really…but she's my adopted mom."

Li and Yuffie had become more like mother and daughter in the last three months than anyone would have ever imagined. When Yuffie had woken up after they had flown away, she didn't remember much of what had happened. Aerith and Leon remembered, and Li remembered, but Yuffie didn't. When Leon asked her why, she simply replied that she would remember when it was time. Yuffie had forgotten that she was the Angel, and the Angel's name. It would remain so until she was truly ready to rid the world of darkness.

"Well I have to go. Nice meeting you," Li smiled and waved as she ran towards Yuffie.

The four children waved to her and returned to their games.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-

"Li? When do you celebrate your birthday?"

Li thought for a moment. "The first day of a new year."

Yuffie smiled. "That's tomorrow. You'll be ten."

Li smiled.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-

On the morning of Yuffie's 19th birthday she woke, and remembered everything, and knew why she had forgotten.

Over the past four years they had continued to gather information about the old legend.

The first council. They had declared war against a human kingdom. The leader of the army, who answered only to the king, had kidnapped the Fallen Angel, and had held her. He held her in chains wrought of silver mixed with rusted iron, the only substance know to hold an Angel.

He proposed a trade to the council. He would return her, unharmed, in exchange for an end to the war, and his own pair of wings. He didn't ask for immortality, he simply wished to fly.

The council thought about it for ten long years. In that time he had visited the Angel, brought her food, books, anything she wanted. And in time she grew to love him, and he her. Though they never spoke it, they both knew deep in their hearts that they loved one another and were loved in return.

Finally the council agreed to the trade. He brought her back to them, and they ended the war. They gave him is own black wings. Seven more years passed, and the Angel went to him.

They admitted their love for one another and shared a night of passion.

The next day, the Angel's room was set ablaze. She could not escape. The man knew, he flew to her, broke down the door and saved her. In doing so he made their relationship know, and the council took both of them before the leader.

The Angel was cast out, and the man was killed. She was cursed to live as a human until the prophecy, older than the Angels themselves was completed.

"Days, years, century's will pass, And a time will come, when the world is cast into darkness. Only then, can the one save it. The one who was cast out. The one banished, will be the savior. The time will come when she will rise again, The Arch Angel Yuffie."

The council had always know of her destiny, they had simply wished it had happened later. In truth, there was nothing to be done, from anyone to have stopped it. They didn't banish her out of crulty, but out of necessity.

They watched until her mother had the vision. They knew it was time. They turned their attention to the growing evil, and kept it in check until she was old enough. When she was fifteen she learned much, and one of the Arch Angels, spelled her, to remember on her 19th birthday, so she would have time to be ready. She knew enough to prepare her.

But now all her memories were back to her. She remembered everything as it had happened. And she knew why she had been made to forget for four years.

She was ready.


End file.
